Best tenants and why?

Question

I often use BP to either post about the worst tenants or read other landlord bad tenant stories. It really helps prevent me from getting overwhelmed or over frustrated. Keeps things in perspective and makes it easier to remain professional/unemotional.

I am curious to initiate a thread on great tenants and what makes them great to you?

Of course, the tenant that pays rent on the first via auto payment, never has maintenance issues, always quiet and respectful of the other tenants or neighbors, very clean and respectful of the property,  is gonna be the grand-slam home-run perfect tenant. Maybe they are also great pillars of the community and have some profession that adds a lot of value to society.

Just wanted to hear some other landlords positive perspective on tenants instead of the my usual combating the negatives and venting.

Daniel Haberkost · Answer

@Isaac S.

Yeah you’re absolutely right about scale, if you have dozens of units it’s inevitable that you will get some bad eggs, no matter how thoroughly you screen.

Amanda Dehaas · Answer

I have 5 tenants that never call, and pays rent on time. But I have 2 tenants that are a headache. One is a pain to get rent from, and the second pays on time every month, but man oh man is her apt. disgusting. I inherited a bunch of leases when I bought a 6 plex, so I'm just in for the ride until their up! :P (oh but the income is really really good) :P

Jennifer T. · Answer

For me, good tenants boil down to one phrase, just "responsible and reasonable people".

Although I think this description is true for most tenants, it has been an unpleasant surprise from when I started renting properties that this % is lower than I was expecting.  Like there is a bizarro world, alternate reality that some people live in.

Isaac S. · Answer

Hey Brandon,

Thanks for posting! Yes, clean tenants are amazing! I have a few tenants that require we use boot/shoe covers when handy work is being done. At first, I kind of rolled my eyes at it, but when I see how immaculate they keep their apartments and stuff, it totally changed my mind and now I offer it to other like minded tenants and they always light up with happiness that I would be so conscientious.

Anyway, seems like cleanliness will probably be the top trait.

Best of luck and keep finding those good ones that make the job easier and sometimes even a pleasure!

Isaac S. · Answer

Yeah, i agree about screening to a point. I think it's a numbers game, and that if you have hundreds or thousands of tenants, no matter how great the screening, you eventually have a few bad ones.

But, I do enjoy hearing about a tenant that offers free rooter services! That's pretty cool. A roommate that cleans and cooks sounds really cool too. Makes househacking sound like an improved quality of life too!

Thanks for sharing.

Dennis M. · Answer

They never call Unless there’s a major problem and always pay rent on time . What more needs to be said

Daniel Haberkost · Answer

@Isaac S. If you screen tenants thoroughly and treat them well you can avoid a lot of the problems you hear about other landlords having. I house-hack and one of my tenants that I currently rent to found out I had a clogged drain in the basement. He went out of his way to call a friend of his with an industrial snake to come and fix it for me. I offered to pay repeatedly but they wouldn’t take my money.

Another tenant that I have goes out of her way to clean the house (without me asking) and has cooked for me numerous times (also without me asking). Those have been my best experiences so far.

Christine Kankowski · Answer

My best tenants were ones that upon move out told me that they had repaired a few things and just wanted me to know. Like they replaced the sprinkler timer and even the microwave.  They never told me about it prior, just wanted to let meknow they have been replaced.  Didn't want to bother me since they were such small items.  Pretty cool.  Full deposit refund- house was immaculate.

Brandon Frulla · Answer

I love my tenants, all either working professionals or retirees. I stopped by my house today to drop something off, and one was cleaning the kitchen while another was scrubbing down a shower stall- was very pleasant to see everything being valued. They are great people, and I got very lucky to find them!

Isaac S. · Answer

OH Dennis...I can always count on you to have the most straight-forward-no nonsense-don't mess around kind of answer. At the end of the day I totally agree with you, but, it is nice to hear about unicorns and fantasies of home cooked meals, free rooter service, fixed up homes, and fully cleaned and move in ready vacancies, once in a while...no?

Thanks for sharing.

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